What cruise line is best for solo travellers
One cruise line is extending the welcome mat to an often overlooked segment of the market – the solo traveller.
Oceania Cruises is coming to the aid of solo travellers, a segment of the market that often feels overlooked. It will roll out 14 Solo Oceanview Staterooms on each of its vessels Regatta, Nautica, Insignia and Sirena throughout September and October after the cabins’ well-received debut on Vista last year.
They are centrally located on deck six and, the cruise line promises, “provide guests with a welcoming space to relax and rejuvenate as they explore the world’s most fascinating destinations”. On offer are a comfy spacious bed, mini bar, sitting area and abundant storage space. Solitary travellers of all ages, including older, have a common beef about single supplements, squeezed accommodation and the like, and cruise lines have been the most responsive tourism sector.
Oceania is also introducing two new excursion themes – Go Green and Beyond Blueprints. In the first category, passengers will have more than 150 tours to choose from around the world; think, visiting a sustainable vineyard in Almeria, Spain, or learning about hydroponic farming in St Kitts in the Caribbean. And in Costa Rica, nothing could be more heart-warming than spending time at a sanctuary for orphaned and injured sloths.
The Beyond Blueprints tours will offer behind-the-scenes experiences at architectural landmarks such as The Royal Library in Copenhagen and sites in Oslo, Barcelona, Belfast, Glasgow, Lisbon, and Sete in France.
GRAHAM ERBACHER
DEALS OF THE WEEK
Game on
ADELAIDE
Watch the AFL in style with VIP tickets to a game at Adelaide’s beloved Oval plus an overnight stay at the stadium’s impressive Oval Hotel, which opened in 2020. Tickets are in an exclusive seating area with access to the hotel’s Five Regions Restaurant and Bespoke Wine Bar. The property’s 138 guestrooms are spread across five floors, offering city or cathedral views. Also included is valet parking and a welcome drink.
Fine print From $669 a room; May 21-June 26. Upgrade to a Studio King Room for $60.
Peaks of joy
NORTH AMERICA
Explore the Canadian Rockies and Alaska on a 22-day journey with APT Touring. Travelling mostly by luxury coach, the trip also includes days on the fabled Rocky Mountaineer train and a cruise on the Inside Passage, calling at towns such as Ketchikan, Sitka and Juneau. Hotel stays are in choice properties including Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Fine print August 2 departure and selected dates in April-September, 2023; from $14,495 a person twin-share, with a saving of up to $3000 a couple.
Hop to it
KANGAROO ISLAND
Sitting off the South Australian coast, Kangaroo Island is a visitor’s dream with spectacular beaches and wildlife, cellar doors and opportunities for adventure. Ferry operator SeaLink is offering self-drive accommodation packages with bonus features at 31 properties on the island, ranging from luxury retreats to BnBs.
Fine print Deals from $341 include return SeaLink ferry travel with vehicle and three nights’ accommodation for the price of two. Until September.
Wise earlybirds
SNOWFIELDS
This could be a ski season to remember with terrain from Guthega to Mt Perisher covered this week with a dusting of first flakes. While the season opens on June 11, the Epic Australia Pass is on sale (with earlybird savings), offering access to Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham. But think too of access in 2022-23 to fields across North America and Japan, including Whistler Blackcomb and Hakuba Valley.
Fine print Epic Australia Pass $999, seniors $779 and students (5-17 years) $569. Prices rise May 31.